...And he slipped the ring on her finger...

I think every girl thinks about how her man will propose. I imagined it would be a rush of emotions. First of all, a surprise, cause what girl really knows all the details of when, where, how, what time, what words will be said? I don't think so....and I would know! I almost ruined all of Marcus's surprises to his proposals!!!

I would say I am a fairly patient person. I don't normally get too uptight about much. Of course, I have my moments, but I am fairly easy-going.

On this fair occasion, I mean, huge event, I seemed to have turned into an impatient, crazy person.

It all started because we knew that we were going to get married before his Deployment. Neither of us wanted to leave the other without that solid commitment intact. It's such an intense reality, deployment, I mean. It could either be a quiet, and by quiet I mean no real threat or sure danger, or it could be diffusing land mines in Afghanistan (this might be the most real danger I could imagine. Marcus might have a different opinion, but I haven't been part of the military long enough). I was imagining the worst. He could die! He could come back missing a limb, more than one, paralyzed, his mind gone, who knows! What was more important was that he knew that without a doubt I would be there waiting for him, whatever his condition, to take him into my arms. To love him, care for him, and support him, come what may.

He had made his decision on marrying me long before I came to my own conclusion, so he was ready and willing to move forward quickly to solidify our commitment before he shipped out.

So, back to impatience...

Marcus and I had been able to journey across the country once a month to see each other. We traded off. I would take one month, he the next, and one time we met down in Louisiana for a wedding. He surprised me on May 1st with a one day visit. It was so fun to see him and as we were growing closer, I hated when either of us had to say goodbye.

Although I was sad to see him come and go so quickly, I thought I would be seeing him again in just a few weeks for memorial day. As soon as he returned he starting talking about how he wouldn't be able to see me again for another month and a half. I was starting to panic, I mean, I was in love with this man, I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could before he left on deployment. And now, he wanted me to wait a month and a half! ;) Not to mention, when on earth were we going to get engaged so I could start planning this wedding that would be in the next few months? All the while, Marcus had a master plan set in motion to surprise me on my birthday (only a few weeks away) and propose in front of my good friends.

So, of course, why wouldn't I be the girl to rush things. I have an incredibly romantic boyfriend who is perfectly capable of having a plan and I go and mess with it.

He let it slip, a week or so before my birthday, that he would be getting memorial day weekend off and I nearly threw the phone in excitement. I immediately started searching for plane tickets out to see him. He was giving me all kinds of excuses on why he still couldn't see me. Oblivious is my middle name, so I would go see him. I spent half an hour convincing him on why it would be best for me to come see him. He finally gave in.

So, I journeyed to North Carolina to be picked up from the airport on a motorcycle, ride 3 hours to his family's home and meet the family that I would soon call mine. We spent 2 days hanging out, hiking, horseback riding, enjoying nature and getting to know his family. We would hang out, each night, on the back porch couch. It was a perfect spot for a view of his mom's garden and late night talks. This particular night, May 30th-May 31st (my birthday), I had gazed at the stars until I fell asleep on his shoulder. I remember him saying "happy birthday," so it had to have been past midnight. I woke up startled because something had been put on my finger. I felt at it. It was so dark...midnight and all.

I had told Marcus awhile back that I thought it would be amazing if he used his incredible artistic talents and designed a ring instead of just buying one out of a store. Not that that is a bad idea, I just like uniqueness and it would be a little piece of him i would get to keep with me at all times.

It was a ring. Oh my gosh! "Marcus?....Marcus?" He looked me in the eyes and told me all about the love he had for me, how he wanted to prove it to me through this commitment, and then asked me for my hand in marriage.

I, of course, said yes, absolutely, I would!

I had ruined his plan and he still managed to surprise me. To sweep me off my feet and set out to be a man that, not only, loved the Lord, but also wanted to love me with the meaning that Christ represented to us continuously throughout the Bibe.

I am a very lucky woman!

A Look Into the Past Year

This year has gone by so fast. I don't know if it is because of all the happenings in my life, or just the fact that I haven't paid enough attention to the time. I am going to go with the busy life excuse....

I have been horrible at keeping up with this blog. It's funny because I actually love to write. I have just chosen to be my typical self instead...procrastinating in everything I do.

Although most of you know, I think it is about time I write a post on everything that has happened in my life this past year.

I met an awesome guy, got engaged, and got married. All in time for him to deploy to Pakistan to hopefully get to help the people there that have been devastated by flooding.

So, let's start with the first part...Met an Awesome Guy:

Marcus and I met when we were about 8 years old. Family friends introduced us. (The Covington's) Well, introduced us as far as introductions go when your 8. haha

He was a wild child. Always flirting with me and trying to knock me out of the canoe. Apparently, I thought he was hysterical, or so I was told. Now I don't remember this...I thought boys were icky at 8, so I'm not so sure I believe this statement. ;)

Of course, now I am in love with the man, so I can't really say otherwise, even for when I was 8.

After years of putting up with his relentless flirting and silliness, I moved to Colorado with my mom and little brother. Each summer we would return and visit the Covington's, the family that connected us, and he would show up. We would always end up canoeing down the New River, and of course, he would jump out and swim up to my part of the canoe to try and pull me in. I would get so irritated, which I hoped would make him stop, but I'm pretty sure that only spurred him on more.

I never remember feeling anything for him other than annoyance, but I think every teenage girl convinces herself that she doesn't like boys for some reason or another.

I came back the year before last for a week and spent time with the Covington's, but this time, Marcus didn't come around. I asked Angi, the mom, where he was and why I hadn't seen him and she told me he had joined the Marines. Now, Marcus was an artzy child. Always painting on everything. I even remember the day he showed me the paintings on his ceiling. He was amazingly talented! I just couldn't believe that he had joined the Marines. She gave me his facebook name and told me I should write him. So, I did.

He responded about a month later. I was in Thailand by that time, and it was exciting to hear from another English speaker. When he first wrote, he wrote me about how he wanted to marry me. It was hysterical. We hadn't seen each other in 4 years. I wrote him back questioning him on why he would want to marry me. I played around with him a little in the following messages, but still wondered why he would make such comments.

I thought I would let him get to know me, and then see what he thought. We ended up writing each other pages upon pages of messages back and forth. I opened myself up to him, more than I had to anyone before. I guess I just felt I had nothing to lose. It was an internet relationship. The worst that could happen was he knew a lot about my emotions and my past and he wouldn't want to be with me. Marcus was different though. My openness interested him. He wanted to know more and more. I enjoyed getting to know him too. He loved Disney and music, theatre and writing, movies and hiking, kids and romance. Many of the things I loved. Most importantly, he loved Christ and was seeking to know Him and His word better each day. He was more stubborn than me, more strong-willed and a leader. He was a man that could challenge me and push me towards Christ. A man that I could love and encourage and support in all that he would become.

After Thailand, we spent each month flying to see each other. Skyping and talking on the phone. We talked more than I have talked to anyone, ever!

I fell in Love with him.

Second: We got engaged: Coming soon!!!.......

It's about time....

Well, I think I have put it off long enough....I was just glancing over my last message. All about how I struggled to get it together and write that last message. I laughed a little thinking about how hard this one has been. That last one's struggles were nothing like this one. Of course, I am home. I am back in my little comfortable world, jumping full force into hanging out with friends and family. I am a busy body. That has always been a given, but this blog's struggles come from me just filling my time with other, what I seem to view as: "more important things". This is equally important though. You all have supported me on this trip and my adventure and you would probably like to know the end result. So, I figured it is about time......

The last week was a rush of emotions and time restraints and scrambling to buy gifts for my family. Yes, I am a procrastinator! When you have more than 10 family members back home wanting stuff though, well, you probably shouldn't put that off till the last minute.

I knew that I would be leaving my ladies soon and that was the hardest part for me. They became family. I had learned their stories, spent time with them, seen the love they have for each other, and I wanted to stay. I wanted to see where they will end up. To see what life will bring them.

It did end with a bang though. Up until the last hour I was patiently trying to figure out if my hair show was going to happen. Sure, we all knew about it and a day was set and a rough estimate of a time, but when I remembered I was in Thailand and things just don't really happened as scheduled, I started to doubt. Lunch time came and went on my last day of work and I might have started to panic a little. You see, I wanted this to happen. I felt like these girls needed some fun and to show off what they had learned. To build extra confidence in not only the girls doing the hair, but also the ones that got to have their hair done. I felt this would be an opportunity that may not present itself again! But I forced myself to be patient and remember that I was there to serve them, not them, me.

It happened though. It was a rush getting it started, but once everyone was working, I realized this would be fun no matter how it turned out.

At the beginning of the show, I informed the girls that I wouldn't be helping them. If they had questions I would be happy to answer them or give suggestions, but I wanted this to be their own creation. To dig deep within themselves and create what they wanted to do. It was so cool seeing how well they did. To see the progress from 3 months earlier until now. It was so rewarding in my eyes.

They each proudly finished their models, looking over their styles from each angle, making sure that we were going to see what they wanted us to see, and they prepared them for a fun catwalk. We blasted the music and they all took turns coming down the runway, trying their hardest to walk like the models do that they see on TV. It was so funny and so amazing at the same time. I was so proud of all of them. Even the ladies that got to be models were radiating. I have never seen so much confidence from them. They were absolutely beautiful! And even better, they felt it!

I am so grateful that God used me in their lives. Whether it was just to give them skills so they could do better in the world than they could have before I came along, or just the fact that they grew so much in their confidence and self-esteem. It was such a gift and blessing to see them change.

I presented each of them with a new pair of shears and thinning shears....hair scissors, for those of you that are staring at the page going "what is she talking about." I told them those were for the future. To move forward and to encourage them that they can make it on their own. They are there. I also made each of them photo books with all of the hair styles we learned and pictures of each of them doing it. These were reminders of not only how to do the styles they had learned if they ever forgot, but also to remind them of how far they had come. Nothing is impossible! They can do anything they set their minds to! Especially with God and the Rahab community by their side.

The hair show was my favorite moment of the trip. Thailand was amazing. I experienced so many new and exciting things. Used a squatty potty for 3 months...haha well, there were some real bathrooms, but the point is...I just got to experience an incredible adventure. I was challenged in almost every way. Lonely at times, constantly fighting with communication barriers, and completely out of my element, but I loved every minute of it. I grew so much, changed a lot, and came back knowing that adventures are so crucial to our lives.

I would say that the most important thing I learned was that we need people in our lives. Not just the physical beings, but people that know us and love us and want to be with us even when we are thousands of miles away! God created us to rely on him and hoped that He would be enough for us, but he also created relationships, so that people could be the tangible representation of just a piece of the love he has for us. Of course people let us down, relationships come and go, but have people in your life. Allow them to be part of your adventures. Allow them to speak into your life and encourage you to be an even better version of yourself.

Through all of this adventure I learned to balance this aspect I spoke of above and giving 100% of myself to what I was doing. Each day I woke up and I completely and fully gave myself to Rahab. That doesn't mean I neglected my relationships at home, absolutely not, but I was able to concentrate on my work, learn some of the language, and build relationships with the people of Thailand, Patpong, and Rahab. I gave enough of myself that I wouldn't want to leave, but I knew that it was time. I think that is how it is supposed to be. To love and give yourself to where you are. Don't constantly be focusing on the future and what is coming next, but be present. Enjoy what is put infront of you, but find the balance and allow the people from where you come from to be a part of the adventure and to encourage you along the way! It's ok!

Thank you all for being part of my adventure. I am sorry that I couldn't post many pictures on the blog or on facebook. A lot of them, I just can't....it would jeopardize the identities of the women that I worked with. If you would like to see some....let's go to coffee or if you live far away feel free to write me and email laura.butterworth@yahoo.com and I will create a cd or something so you can see more!

Thank you so much for reading...I hope to write about more adventures and life....I love to write if you can't tell!!! I will keep writing, so keep reading if you like...

Until we meet again!

Laura